Passengers urged: Be at port terminals 2 hours before scheduled trips

OPLAN SEMANA SANTA AT CEBU PORTS

Passengers going home for the Holy Week are encouraged to be at the port terminal at least two hours before their scheduled trips.

Supt. Arche Guinitaran, acting Port Security, Safety and Environmental Management Department head of the Cebu Port Authority, said this the passengers would undergo extensive safety inspections before they could board the vessels to take them to their destinations.

Guinitaran said they are on heightened alert for the Holy Week and the strict safety inspections are part of Oplan: Semana Santa, which involved security of Holy Week travelers passing through the port.

“Dapat moabot sila sa pantalan two hours before kay ang checking sa pasahero kay gi increase nato ug naay uban na madelayed (They should be two hours early at the port terminal because the strict inspections will be implemented and this can cause delays),” he said.

Passengers will undergo three types of safety inspections.

He said the first process would require passengers to show their boat ticket and valid identification cards (IDs) upon entering the terminal.
Then port police personnel will ask for the passenger’s terminal ticket before the passenger can enter the inspection area.

The passengers then will be made to walk through a metal detector, while their baggage will be inspected through X-ray scanners. When they have undergone this procedure, they can enter the pre-departure area of the terminal.

If necessary, he said that they would conduct a manual inspection through a “patdown” or frisking to the passengers.

He said this would be done if the security personnel would see that there would be a need to frisk the passenger, then this would be done.
Aside from the security procedures for the passengers, two K-9 units or bomb sniffing dogs would also patrol Terminal 1 in Pier 1 and Terminal in Pier 3.

Guinitaran also warned travelers not to bring bladed weapons and guns when they travel.

He also reminded shippers that livestock should have a permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture for them to allow the animals passage.

He said the animals should also be placed inside a cage.

Guinitaran said that they are requesting from their office for 44 more security personnel that is on top of the existing 380 security personnel manning the terminals.

He also said that Help Desks are set up at terminal to assist the passengers.

He said that he is expecting at least 10,000 travelers to pass through the port on Wednesday next week, which is the last work day for the week.